We all know that
Singapore is a crowded place. We have a population
of some 4.2 million living on a mere 697 square
kilometres of land — an average of 0.00017
square kilometres per person. Is it possible then
for Singaporeans to enjoy greenery in parks and
gardens? Thanks in no small part to the efforts
of NParks, a statutory board under the Ministry
of National Development, this has been possible.
In this issue, we feature the plans that NParks
has to make Singapore not just a Garden City,
but a City in a Garden. Beyond technical expertise
or managerial excellence, the primary force behind
the possible greening of Singapore is the passion
to want to improve the quality of life for our
citizens — the desire to make this city
an attractive place to live, work and play in,
however difficult the task might first seem.
The same goes for the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
In the Online Application System for Integrated
Services (OASIS) project, MTI worked with more
than 30 government agencies, to review and streamline
the process of applying for licences, making life
easier for businesses that need to apply for licences.
Not an easy project but certainly worthwhile and
useful. For its contributions to enhancing service
delivery to our citizens and customers, OASIS
bagged the 2005 United Nations Public Service
Award.
But making life better and easier for our citizens
doesn’t always need to involve large hardware.
Sometimes, the use of Organisational Excellence
tools can help improve processes and make an organisation
more responsive to citizens’ and customers’
needs. The Singapore Prison Service, for example,
has used the Six Sigma methodology to re-engineer
its processes, and as a result, has managed to
significantly reduce the waiting time for visitors
at the Changi Women’s Prison.
Why not take a few moments to think about how
you can make life easier for our citizens and
customers? What can you do to make Singapore a
better place to live, work and play in?
Melissa Cheah Editor, Challenge |
